FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1968
1968 - 0070.PDF
72 FLIGHT International, II January /9Aa| Straight and Level WITH TREMBLING QUILL last Week Iasked for spontaneous messagesof congratulation on the tenth anniversary of this column this week. The entirely unprompted response has been most gratifying: — Mr J.P.4 Maladroit, president of the Tedium of Trade: "I can't think why you should ask me as my department has nothing to do with aviation." Mr John Stonehenge, Minister of Planes: "I would not wish to send any messages on my own account without first consulting my colleagues in France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Japan. . . ." (continued on page 2,943). Mr Ron Failhard, chief designer of Scruggs Aircraft: "Here, lad—have this copy of our latest project study. We have done it in aluminium. We're cutting metal!" Rollo Freelunch (telegram): SIR CHARLES BOOST FURIOUS THAT YOU HAVEN'T MEN- TIONED HIM LATELY IN YOUR LOUSY COLUMN STOP COME AND HAVE TWO LUNCHES TOMORROW DEAR BOY. Daphne Dormouse: "I want you to know darling I sleep better at night know- ing you are writing your divine column." Thanks also to Captain Speaking of Brutish Heathrobinson Airways Corpora- tion for the radio greeting from his yacht Sparetime Pilot cruising between the Bahamas and Tahiti in between flights: to Monsieur Alphonse Aurevoir for the set of rings he has run round Britain's neddies; and to Sir Kneddy Chairborne for the case of non-attributable pinstripe trousers. • The Hurricane in my picture last week was a Mk 2D of No 6 Squadron, he first to use "S" 40mm cannons. This particular aircraft was being used to test the installation. It was taken near Tripoli in March 1943, thinks Mr Leslie Hunt, who sent me the picture. Incidentally, I have just seen Mr Hunt's new and enlarged edition of Veteran and Vintage Aircraft. It's a good twenty-five bob's worth. Profits are again Boeing's 500th trijet was a 727-200 for National. I reckon we could do with a few such rainy days in Britain going to his Trueloves Home for boys suffering from muscular dystrophy. His address is 90 Woodside, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. • Mr J. P. W. Mallalieu, the Minister responsible for civil aviation at the Board of Trade, warns the independents that "the Edwards Committee may lead to some changes in existing policies." Gad! the nerves tingle and the pulse races at the very thought. • The Plowden Committee (remember Plowden?) on the aircraft industry re- commended a merger between BAC and Hawker Siddeley, though it was more doubtful about a merger between Rolls- Royce and Bristol Siddeley. I do hope that the Edwards Com- mittee's recommendations will not be implemented in the same way. • Former French premier M Pierre Mendes-France in an interview in Le Nouvel Observateur: "The French air- craft of which we are proud, including We're hoping for rain, too (I'appareil militaire Dorand a Satony) FLIGHT International, 28 December 1697 1 05.s From, redfocedly, "Flight" for December 28 (right lads, let's get it RIGHT this time) 1967 the Caravelle, are equipped with Ameri- can electronic apparatus. . . ." And British engines, and equipment, and systems in the case of the Caravelle. • To Handley Page, the company which (the last Government tried to i rid of, goes the distinction of selling to the US armed services its first non- American aircraft since the de Havilland D.H.4 of 1917. The Americans built the Canberra under licence (and are still operating and refurbishing Martin B.57s) and, of course, the USAAF flew Lend-Lease Mosquitoes during the war. But the Jetstream is the first direct sale. And, like the D.H.4, was launched as a private venture. • The trouble with political sanctions, apart from the fact that they never work, is that they demand truly massive feats of humbug and hypocrisy. Our Government is perfectly happy to refuse South Africa's £200 million order for aircraft which could never be used to enforce apartheid, yet it would apparently approve an order for Beagle 206s, which could very readily be used for counter-insurgency. Very soon now. • • Very soon now the Government won't be allowing the British aircraft industry to supply the RAF. Did some- body say something?
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
